Kevin R. Budner

Kevin R. Budner is a partner in Lieff Cabraser’s San Francisco specializing in complex, high-impact litigation.

Of particular note, Kevin was one of the lead attorneys prosecuting San Francisco’s case in the nationwide opioid litigation . Among other roles, Kevin directed the team’s discovery efforts against Walgreens and played a key role in the multi-month bellwether trial. In a milestone opinion, Judge Charles R. Breyer concluded that “the aggregate evidence that Plaintiff presented at trial was not only adequate to establish Walgreens’ culpability-it was devastating.” This landmark victory led to a $230 million recovery for San Francisco and was a significant factor in driving Walgreens’ multi-billion dollar, nationwide settlement.

Kevin has also had a number of success representing the owners of over-polluting and underperforming vehicles, beginning with the Volkswagen “Clean Diesel” multidistrict litigation . In that case, plaintiffs alleged that Volkswagen lied to the government and misled its customers about the emissions of its diesel engine vehicles. Kevin worked closely with lead counsel, Elizabeth Cabraser, and the team’s efforts resulted in settlements worth nearly $15 billion. Kevin’s other vehicle emissions accomplishments include a recent settlement with Toyota subsidiary Hino Motors, valued at $445 million; a $307.5 million resolution in the Fiat-Chrysler “EcoDiesel” MDL; and litigation against Audi and Porsche for overstating fuel economy in hundreds of thousands of gasoline-powered vehicles. In all of these cases, Kevin and his colleagues secured meaningful results that consumers overwhelmingly supported. As one illustration, in approving an $80 million settlement with Porsche, the court noted that class members would recover “close to all of the damages they might expect to receive at trial” and applauded counsel for the “unusually successful” class participation rates.

For these and other achievements, Kevin has been recognized as a “Top 40 Under 40 Lawyer” (Daily Journal), one of the 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America (Lawdragon), a “Rising Star for Class Action law (Law360), a “Rising Star of the Plaintiff’s Bar” (National Law Journal), a “Rising Star for Northern California” (Super Lawyers), and “One to Watch” (Best Lawyers). He and his colleagues have also received awards for “Trial Lawyer of the Year” (Public Justice), “Trial Lawyer Excellence” (Law Bulletin), “California Lawyer of the Year” (California Daily Journal), and “Consumer Attorney of the Year Finalist” (Consumer Attorneys of California).

Publications & Presentations

•Author, Class Actions: Jurisdictional Issues, ThomsonReuters, 2024
•Co-Author, “Federal Courts Split Likely to Lead to More FCPA Whistleblowing,” Law 360, February 2014
•Co-Author, “Play Ball: Potential Private Rights of Action Emerging From the FIFA Corruption Scandal,” 11 Business Torts & RICO News 1, Summer 2015

Honors & Awards

•California Lawyer of the Year (CLAY) Award, California Lawyer, 2026
•“Lawdragon 500 Global Plaintiff Lawyers,” Lawdragon, 2024-2026
•“Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America,” Lawdragon, 2026
•“Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers in America,” Lawdragon, 2023-2026
•“Lawdragon 500 X - The Next Generation,” Lawdragon, 2023, 2024
•“Ones to Watch,” Best Lawyers, 2021-2026
•“Rising Star for Northern California,” Super Lawyers, 2019 - 2022
•“Top 40 Under 40 Lawyer,” Daily Journal, 2021
•“Rising Star for Class Action Law,” Law360, 2021
•“Rising Star of the Plaintiffs’ Bar” National Law Journal, 2021
•“Trial Lawyer of the Year,” Public Justice, 2019
•“Trial Lawyer Excellence Award,” Law Bulletin, 2019
•“California Lawyer of the Year,” California Daily Journal, 2018
•“40 and Under Hot List,” Benchmark Litigation, 2018
•“Consumer Attorney of the Year Finalist,” Consumer Attorneys of California, 2017

In the News

•May 7, 2026
Lieff Cabraser’s Thakur v. Trump Team Shares 2026 “California Lawyer Attorneys of the Year” Award
•April 24, 2026
19 Lieff Cabraser Lawyers Named to the 2026 “Lawdragon 500 Global Plaintiff Lawyers” Guide
•February 17, 2026
30 Lieff Cabraser Attorneys Recognized as Lawdragon “500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers” for 2026
•September 8, 2025
Twenty-Seven Lieff Cabraser Partners Named to 2026 “Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America” List
•August 21, 2025
36 Lieff Cabraser Lawyers Named to 2026 Best Lawyers Listings